


Casual Villainy

by anipwrites



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen, Juleka Rose Nino and Ivan only really appear in one chapter, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Rose and Juleka and Nino and Ivan aren't mentioned much, basically what I think happened, episode elaboration, episode recap, inside the minor character's head, what happened in Evillustrator
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2017-01-12
Packaged: 2018-08-14 06:25:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8001823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anipwrites/pseuds/anipwrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the newest akuma promises not to hurt people, what's he to do until his big date with the girl of his dreams? What does Chat Noir do until that very same date? What about when he's de-evillized? The episode Evillustrator has quite a few big time skips. What happens there? I stayed up for a few hours one night to address them for you. Therefore I present to you, this story.<br/>Nathanael/Ladybug is mostly hints. 2/3 Chapters are from Nathanael's point of view, with Chapter 2 being from Adrien's point of view. Chapter 2 recaps parts of Chapter 1 from a different perspective. Mild cursing used at some points.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Casual Villainy!  
> I wouldn't necessarily say that this story was wildly popular on FF.net, but it did get a lot of views and likes really quickly, so I figured I'd post it here for you all to see!  
> I wrote this story in the middle of the night sometime in early August. I wasn't sure I'd ever post it until I edited it a bit and got one of my Tumblr friends to beta read it. May as well post it here.  
> Basically this story was inspired by a few simple facts; my favorite ML villain so far is most definitely the Evillustrator. But the Evillustrator episode leaves a lot of time jumps where we don't quite know what happened. Here in Chapter 1, we'll address the time jump that started this idea; what exactly happened with Nathanael between him flying out of Marinette's room and him meeting up with her at sunset?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Evillustrator heads to a cafe to grab a few snacks and plan his date. Hawkmoth won't leave him alone, and neither will other customers.

Paris was really beautiful from up in the air.

That's what was going through the Evillustrator's mind as he soared through the sky on his jet pack. He had _finally_ asked out the girl of his dreams on a date, _and_ she had accepted! He couldn't help but let out a few elated whoops as he did a brief barrel roll over some rooftops, scaring a few people lounging on their patios. Just the thought of Marinette sent a warm tingle through his whole body. Just imagine how amazing their date would be! A boat decorated to look like…

A sudden realization stopped him short in his tracks. He had _no idea_ what to make the boat even _look like._ Where the hell was he even going to get a boat?! Especially at such short notice…

' _Guess I could always draw a boat. I'll just have to find some reference photos so I could draw a decent boat.'_ he mused, letting himself slowly descend to the ground until he peacefully landed on his feet. He briefly reached for the phone in his pocket before he realized his outfit was skintight, had no pockets, and his phone had disappeared. At that note, everything he owned had disappeared. Hopefully, after his date, he would find them.

He could always draw himself a smartphone, anyways. But first things first, he was pretty hungry. He had missed lunch plotting his revenge on Chloe, and who wanted to go to school anymore? He had purple skin, he wasn't exactly Nathanael anymore. Plus, someone would find a way to get Ladybug and Chat Noir's attention, and then he'd have to fight them, and he might be late to his date then! Plus, if he lost, all hopes of a date with Marinette were lost. She was interested in the Evillustrator, not _Nathanael._ She hadn't even remembered his birthday. No one had.

Might as well treat himself to a few birthday treats. Looking around briefly, he got his bearings on his surroundings and could then take himself to the nearest sit-in cafe. He could walk, he decided. Why draw another jet pack if it was only a block or two down from here?

People certainly took notice of him now. Some stared, some parents pulled their children into their arms protectively, some people even crossed the street to avoid him. Then again, his entire being just spelled 'akuma'. Purple skin, the skin-tight outfit, the purplish-black butterfly-shaped domino mask… But with this new form, also came a new confidence he never had as a civilian. Normally, he would be embarrassed to wear anything tighter than skinny jeans, let alone walk down the street in something like this. Now, he simply didn't care.

A purple haze took over his vision, making him stop in his tracks as the dark voice entered his head once more.

' _Evillustrator, now is your chance. Wreak havoc onto the people of Paris to lure Ladybug and Chat Noir into a trap and steal their Miraculouses!'_ it ordered.

"Not just yet. I can't think of a trap. And I don't want to be late to my date, or mess myself up. I still need to plan it. Just give me a few hours. Please?" Evillustrator barely realized he was talking aloud.

The dark voice gave an exasperated groan. _'Fine. But in a few hours, I'm expecting results._ Don't _disappoint me.'_

"Of course, Hawkmoth." the purple haze faded away and he kept walking to his destination.

The door to the cafe triggered a bell to ring, drawing the cashier's attention to the door. When she saw the akumatized villain, she began to shake. Especially as he walked over to the front desk. She had seen what these people could do, and her son had told horror stories of what happened when akumas got to their victims at his school. She didn't want to be turned into a… a… whatever this guy would turn her into!

The akuma's eyes just scanned the menu above her head, seeming to contemplate something. Then he lifted his right arm, where he had a drawing tablet strapped to his forearm, and began to draw something. The cashier's knees trembled. What was he going to do-wait.

_Did he just draw money?_

The akumatized boy looked her in the eye, back again at the menu, back to the money, and then… offered a smile. "H-Hello, madam… may I have a baguette, a cup of coffee with cream, and a slice of carrot cake?"

"U-Uh...I-I-I, uhm…" the cashier could barely find it in her to speak.

"Madam? I won't hurt you. I made a promise to someone that I wouldn't hurt anyone." Evillustrator offered.

"Wh-Who is the order for…?" the cashier asked.

"Natha-um. Evillustrator. I am the Evillustrator."

"The Evillustrator? You… don't seem very evil, if you've promised not to hurt anyone."

"W-Well…" the Evillustrator awkwardly scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I really guess I should be, but… I made a promise to my… my crush, that I wouldn't hurt anyone as long as she went on a date with me later…"

"...don't mean to be rude, but, um… are you sure she's not going on the date to keep you from hurting people?"

"I…" that thought had never crossed his mind before. His eyebrows knit together as he began to think through it. Marinette _was_ kind, it wouldn't exactly be unlike her to do such a thing… to lead him on just to keep a bitch like Chloe Bourgeois safe… The thought that she would do such a thing hurt him, honestly.

The purple haze bled into his vision as the dark, intrusive thoughts took over his head again. _'See, look. The girl; is leading you on. Just like Chloe. Why not take revenge? Wreak havoc, make her regret ever lying to you! And while you're at it, why not take Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculouses, and release your pent-up anger onto them as well!'_

"I… there's no proof that she is lying to me. I trust her. And I already said, a few more hours before I go after the Miraculouses, just buzz off, Hawk Moth." he grit his teeth into a frustrated snarl, not noticing the fear across the cashier's face.

' _I wouldn't say that, if I were you. I gave you your powers, I can just as easily take them away. You see to be a bit distracted from the real goal here, why don't I give you a reminder?'_ Intense pain shot through his arm as it began to cramp and spasm, making the money in his hand clatter to the floor.

"Agh! Okay, okay, I'll get them for you, I promise!" he grunted, clutching his hand in the other to try and alleviate the pain somehow. It subsided to a dull ache. "...eventually," he dropped down to pick up the money as the purple haze went away before giving it to the cashier. "Sorry about that,"

"Are you alright?" the woman asked. Evillustrator laughed bitterly.

"I'm an akuma. Think about that for a second."

"Oh. Well...I'll go fix your coffee, feel free to sit." the woman went to the back of the store to go make the coffee, leaving Evillustrator to look around the cafe. It was empty, other than him. Whether it was empty before he got here, or if it cleared out because of his presence, he wasn't sure. Something inside of him felt bad for scaring everyone, and regretted becoming what he was now, but… no. That boy was dead. Nathanael Kurtzberg was dead and the Evillustrator was all that was left and all that mattered. With that in mind, he took a seat at a tall table by the window, laid his right arm on the table, and began to draw. Every so-often, he'd test out a small detail on a napkin before drawing it on the tablet.

In a few minutes, his coffee was brought to him, along with the other treats he ordered. He thanked the woman with a nod before continuing to draw.

After having drawn a phone to look up photos with, he had already planned out what the boat would look like, and was contemplating what it would be decorated with. He eventually decided on the Jardins du Trocadero, with the Eiffel Tower as the center piece. A few benches would be set up around the boat, so they could sit wherever. He made a tiny model of the boat on the table as he absentmindedly ate a chunk of his baguette. When it was finally finished, he could finally relax and focus on the delicious meal before him.

A few people started coming into the cafe, and noticed him. Some would immediately leave, while others sat and 'oohed' and 'aahed' at how close they dared to get to the akuma. Some people even came up to take selfies with him, which he frankly was not a fan of. He met every phone with a cold, even glare. He was beginning to get irritated. They were _mocking_ him.

"Hey, man, just smile for once." a man said, leaning in for a selfie and nudging him harshly. His straight face curved into a scowl.

"I could literally erase your face off if I wanted to. Wouldn't have to worry about selfies then. You wouldn't like that, would you? _Would you?!_ " he snarled at the man. His jaw dropped in shock and fear.

"Y-Y-You wouldn't!"

"Do you _really_ want to test me right now?!"

"Hey. Sir, you're coming with us!" a few officers stepped into the cafe, one holding handcuffs. He recognized one of them as Sabrina's father, from Parent Day in class. He himself had been akumatized, after Chloe had her father fire him after a bracelet of hers went missing. Chloe was a monster, a _real_ monster. They should be arresting _her_ for fraud and slander!

He felt his blood begin to boil as the purple haze took over his vision again. _'Why not show these fools what you're_ really _made of! Go get your revenge on these imbeciles, on Chloe Bourgeois! Release your inner chaos!'_ the voice began to say. He felt himself rise to his feet, his hands balled into fists as he thought of all the things he could do to these pests, to Chloe, when he remembered his promise to Marinette. He saw the fear on everyone's faces, especially the cashier who had been nothing but nice to him today. He couldn't do this.

"I'm not hurting anyone." he muttered. The officer in front of him assumed he was talking to the police squad, apparently, even as Hawk Moth rattled off something about taking his powers away and obedience and authority figures.

"Right, and how do we know you won't later. We're taking you in, don't make this hard on yourself. Someone get Ladybug, she'll know how to fix this guy." even as he was handcuffed, Hawk Moth found a way to turn the situation in his favor.

' _Actually, this is perfect! Let them take you in, and when Ladybug and Chat Noir come in, defeat them all and steal their miraculouses! As long as you do that for me, I'll let you run along on your little date.'_

The Evillustrator hesitated. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but he _really_ needed to get the miraculouses to reach his end of the deal that had gotten him this far in the first place. As they started leading him out of the cafe, he decided he didn't want to get the miraculous like this.

With his enhanced strength, he ripped himself away from the officers and reached with his pen behind his back to his tablet, erasing the handcuffs from existence. As they chased after him, he quickly brought up the file for his jet pack drawing and equipped it, soaring high above their heads where he couldn't reach. Now way could they catch up to him like this, and he could also keep an eye out to see if he could find Ladybug and Chat Noir. While he didn't find them in the air, he decided to go to the Eiffel Tower. They seemed to enjoy hanging out there a lot, so if he stayed on one of the higher levels, he would be able to see them if they met up for a patrol and sneak attack them.

At least, that's how he reasoned his actions to Hawk Moth whenever he would bug him about not destroying half the city by now. He stayed up there until the sky began turning orange, in which he decided to fly on over to the Notre Dame to make the larger version of the boat for the date. Even though Hawk Moth tried taking control of his body again, the waiting was all worth it when Marinette found her way on board.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's two chapters left of this story. Next chapter we'll address the question of 'what happens with Adrien between him checking up on Marinette and him crashing the date later that night?' These will all be up within a day or two, at most a week but probably not even that.  
> I hope you all have a wonderful day!  
> ~anipwrites


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's Chat Noir up to after he talks to Marinette?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter addresses a similar question as last time; we last see Chat Noir right after he checks in on Marinette. Then we see him after the huge time-skip, where he then crashes the date. What was Cat-Boy doing until then? Getting into trouble, perhaps?

 

After meeting up with Marinette and getting the details of the time and place of their date, Chat Noir leaped away, running across building to go on a private patrol to see if any petty crimes were going on that he could handle. Mostly, he was keeping an eye out for that akuma. The Evillustrator was dangerous, what with his power to create and destroy anything as he wished. Surely, he was up to no good. He knew he couldn't purify the akuma, but surely he could keep him distracted in a fight until Ladybug came back from her secret mission.

So the last place he was expecting to find him doing was eating a baguette inside a cafe.

For a moment, Adrien began to question if the akuma was dangerous at all. They'd never had a docile akuma, but if it were ever possible, this villain would be the poster child for it. Not that he particularly wanted him to, but… why wasn't he attacking Paris? Did it have something to do with Marinette? Probably.

Honestly, he wanted to fight the akuma _right now_ , just to get this over with already. But he was more than aware that that would be impractical without his lady around. They were a team-they simply worked better together than on their own, for the most part.

Was Ladybug doing okay on her secret mission? He had no doubt in his mind that she could handle it, but… why was she so adamant on not bringing him, not even telling him where she'd _be?_ What if she got hurt, what if she needed his help?

His stomach growled, and he looked up at the sign for the cafe. He hadn't been eating much, no thanks to his diet plan enforced by his father. Anything on the menu for this cafe would surely be off-limits, but he was willing to bend the rules for a few sweets and the chance to spy on Evillustrator. If he could find out who he was, he might be able to find out where the akuma was. If he could find out where the akuma was, it would make Ladybug's job much easier.

So he detransformed and went inside, trying to not stare at the Evillustrator as he walked up to the front desk. After a brief glimpse at the menu, he decided to order some camembert, a slice of chocolate cake, a cup of milk, and a few chocolate chip cookies. Then he sat down across the store and sat, pulling out some homework to work on. Every so often he would cast a glance at the Evillustrator. So he saw when more and more people flooded into the cafe when they saw the purple-skinned villain from the window he sat beside; all of them eager to take pictures, call the police, or generally pester him. The Evillustrator frowned, glaring at the crowd of people surrounding him, when a daring 20-something leaned in for a selfie. The villain refused to smile.

Adrien's inner hero knew this was going to escalate quickly if he didn't stop it, but the door was blocked, so it would be impossible to escape and transform. He just had to wait it out and hope things didn't escalate further, possibly even stepping in in his civilian form to break up the two. Which would be disastrous due to him not having his heightened endurance, and the fact that he would be seen and word would get back to his father that he had ruined his diet by eating at a cafe.

"Hey, man, just smile for once." the young adult groaned, nudging the Evillustrator harshly. The boy glared, his eyes cold and hard like ice.

"I could literally erase your face off if I wanted to. Wouldn't have to worry about selfies then. You wouldn't like that, would you?" the man's jaw dropped in shock and fear as he tried to stammer out an answer. The Evillustrator's scowl shifted into a malicious smirk. " _Would you?!_ " he snarled at the man.

"Y-Y-You wouldn't!"

"Do you _really_ want to test me right now?!"

"Hey. Sir, you're coming with us!" a few officers stepped into the cafe, one holding handcuffs. Even though Adrien had his hopes, he knew the police probably couldn't handle this guy. Standard criminal cases? They did alright. Dealing with akumas? Every time they had tried so far, they had failed. If anything, their presence might irritate the akuma and make matters worse! _And_ they could get hurt too! What if this villain could turn people into minions, like The Pharaoh had?! He had to do _something_. He began looking around for a place to duck and transform when the crowd let out a gasp, drawing his attention back to the scene before him. An outline of a purple butterfly had appeared just before the Evillustrator's eyes, signaling that Hawk Moth was communicating with them. After a few personal experiences and an interview with Ladybug on the Ladyblog, everyone knew this as well.

The villain rose to his feet, fists clenched and his teeth grit together in a silent snarl as his eyes scanned the room, when suddenly, he seemed to hesitate.

"I'm not hurting anyone," he suddenly said, rather decisively for an akuma. Everyone was puzzled, no one could quite tell what was going on anymore. Was he talking to the officers or Hawk Moth? Why wasn't he doing anything, he was an _akuma!_

The officers decided to take control of the situation, stepping forward to address the boy. "Right, and how do we know you won't later? We're taking you in, don't make this harder for you." As two officers forced the villain into handcuffs, the officer who spoke then turned to another officer. "Someone get Ladybug, she'll know how to fix this guy."

Too bad they didn't know she was on a secret mission. And even if she weren't, did they have a way to communicate with Ladybug that he didn't? He'd have to ask her later.

The Evillustrator has a blank look on his face, eyebrows twitching every-so-often even as he was handcuffed, still staring into the purple hazy butterfly. It almost seemed as if he was going willingly, until he got out the door.

Adrien could see it from the window. The purple-skinned perpetrator broke away from the officer's grip and kick flipped backwards, his inhuman agility allowing him to soar backwards to the other side of the block. As the police came after him, a jetpack appeared on his back and he soared off where no one could find him. Except for Adrien's trained eye, which could see him headed off towards the Eiffel tower.

Everyone in the cafe was confused and shocked. For good reason. The akuma of the week had not only been a pacifist, but was acting almost the same way anyone else would have been acting to an intrusion of their privacy (which they were only _just now_ realizing they had been doing, astonishingly.) Sure, there were a bit more violent threats and superpowers involved, but… were akumas really all that much different from them?

Adrien left. Lots of people never seemed to understand that the akumas were dangerous until they lost control of their own bodies and became one. Adrien hadn't been subject to that yet, luckily, but from talking to Alya and Nino and a few other victims, he had learned what it felt like. And although he didn't know who the boy behind the mask was, he knew he had to rescue him from his mental nightmare.

His phone buzzed. He looked down to find a text from Nino.

niBRO: [hey, bro, are you still going to hang out with Max, Kim, and me at the arcade? You hadn't been answering your phone.]

Another glance at his phone revealed that he did, indeed, have some missed calls. Must've been distracted by the Evillustrator. He weighed his options briefly-would he rather stalk some purple lunatic for the next few hours, or hang out with his best friend and some of his classmates at the arcade? The civilians were right for now--he wasn't a threat _at the moment_. He could bear an hour or two at the arcade until it was time to protect Marinette on her date.

Adrien: [yeah, sure. I'll be right there, give me ten minutes.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few more reasons why I wanted to upload a chapter so soon.
> 
> A; to thank everyone who's followed this story so far! You guys are all amazing! All of the email notifications I keep getting inspire me and make me feel good about my writing skills, which is something I've been needing!
> 
> B; all of this feedback (from FF.net AND here) has inspired me to write another Miraculous Ladybug fanfiction! But the problem is, I don't know what it will be about... I have too many ideas and I keep getting stuck. But I'm sure I'll figure it out soon!
> 
> C; I've finished all of the chapters already, so I may as well.
> 
> Feel free to favorite, follow, or comment on this story (or me) as you please, and I hope you all have a wonderful day.
> 
> ~anipwrites


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathanael is de-evillized and freaks for a bit before going home and talking to Rose and Juleka. He gets a bit of sympathy at school as people find out, and a birthday present. He finds a new muse. He also answers why the comic in the sketchbook was crossed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And finally, the very last chapter of this fanfiction. This is indeed the last planned chapter for this story.
> 
> However I am glad to announce that I have come up with an idea for definitely one fanfiction, maybe 2. More info on that at the bottom.
> 
> Now, back to our focus. The final question; how does Nathanael handle the realization that he was an akuma? After 'what the comics call the final showdown', the episode immediately skips to the next day of school-a several hour time skip. And even then, we never see Nathanael again. Alya interviews Chloe, and then we see his sketchbook. What does Nathanael do during that time?

Nathanael woke up with a gasp, eyes wide as he looked around, then looking at his hands. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had done something terrible, but first…

"Where am I?" He muttered. Last he could recall, he was headed to the principal's office. This was definitely not Mr. Damocles' office.

"Pound it!" He looked over to see Ladybug and Chat Noir fist-bumping each other, their celebratory catchphrase after another victory against an akuma. But where was the victim, surely they'd be-

The remnants of the strange, dark feeling he had felt within him made him shudder, and then he realized what happened. He had been the akuma. Oh, dear god, what had he done?!

"Chat, you need to go. I'll handle this." Ladybug said. As Chat Noir leaped out the window and across the Parisian skyline, Ladybug walked over to Nathanael.

"P-Please don't hurt me…" he stammered out, scooting backwards.

"You'd better hurt him! He destroyed all my designer shoes, and my jackets, and wrecked my room! Not to mention, tried to ruin my hair!" Chloe stomped over to him, eyes aflame with fury. All of this over some shoes?

"I-I-I'm sorry, I-"

"Chloe, just back off for a bit. He probably doesn't even remember what he did. And all your stuff is back, anyways. I need a few minutes to talk to him. Why not go work on that physics project you were talking about earlier?"

Chloe huffed but went off to do… probably not her physics project, leaving Ladybug to kneel down next to Nathanael, even as one of the spots on her earrings disappeared. Up close, he realized that she looked absolutely amazing. She walked like a goddess, and her eyes seemed to light up the whole room. He, someone who had been twisted and manipulated by chaos and darkness, did not feel worthy to grace her presence.

"Hey, are you alright?" she asked. Nathanael managed to nod, swallowing nervously. "What's your name?"

"N-Nathanael…"

"Nathanael, I'm sorry about what happened, and on your birthday, no less. Are you sure you're alright?"

The memories were slowly coming back to him. First off, of almost murdering Marinette. He winced at that recollection.

"I… Did I hurt anyone? Marinette… a-and Chat Noir, I left them on a boat and…"

"Don't worry. They got out, and Chat Noir got Marinette home safely before he came here. But, look. I know Chloe isn't exactly the best person, and I'm sorry about what she did, but I hope you can consider me a… friend, of sorts." she took out her yo-yo, which seemed to double as a phone, and handed it to him so he could put his number in. "I like to check up on everyone every so-often. Text me if you ever need me, alright?"

"I… thank you…"

"And I need you to remember, this is not your fault, at all. Hawk Moth is manipulative, and his akumas take control. You are the victim here, not the bad guy. Alright? People are going to say otherwise, but I need you to remember this."

"I… Right…"

"Okay, Nathanael." She offered him a kind smile, which sent his heart racing. His mind began to dream until another beep rang out. He awkwardly shoved the yo-yo in her direction.

"Uh, I-I-I guess you're running out of time!"

"Yeah, you're right, I should get going. But seriously, don't hesitate to text me." at that, she cast out her yo-yo and swung off into the night. Nathan sat there in awe, watching as the spotted superheroine took off, until he couldn't make out her figure. She was so graceful, and kind. Of course, Marinette was also kind, but… it looks like he had just found a new muse.

"Nathanael!" Chloe's harsh voice snapped him out of his thoughts as he turned to see the blonde standing in her doorway, one hand pointed out the door. "Ladybug's gone, now get out of my room!"

"Right, o-o-of course! Sorry!" Nathanael picked himself up and scrambled out of Chloe's room. As he made his way out of the hotel he had found himself in, a soft buzz in his pocket revealed a text message from his phone, which was magically back in his pocket, despite not even having pockets for a few hours. He couldn't help but wonder where all his stuff was, since everything other than what he had in his pockets were still missing. Hopefully, they were at school, or someplace safe. Now he just had to worry about getting home.

The apartment was quiet, as usual, when he got there. His mother was probably asleep already, leaving him to just get to his room and get some rest. Another glance at his phone revealed that the buzz was from an unknown number, but there were several other unread messages as well. He took a shaky breath and opened the group chat with Rose and Juleka first, adrenaline coursing through his veins just at the thought of reading the message from the unknown number. He wasn't brave enough to do it. Not just yet.

Juleka: [Nathanael! You, me, and Rose are all partners on the physics project! Hope Mr. Damocles wasn't too hard on you.]

Rose: [Nathanael, where are you? We haven't seen you since you left to go to the Principal's office! Is everything alright?]

Rose: [Juleka and I are going to meet up at the park to start working on the project during lunch. Feel free to catch up with us when you're ready!]

Juleka: [Hey, Nath! We heard there's a new akuma on the loose, be careful, okay? Where are you, anyways?]

Juleka: [Dude, we just found your stuff lying around in the hallway. Where are you?]

Rose: [Naaaaaaaathaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan! Where aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaare youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu? We've already split up the work. We know you didn't like presenting, so we figured you'd want to handle the board and the diagrams. Is that okay?]

Juleka: [Nath, Rose is starting to worry. It's almost sunset. No texts, no calls, no emails? Did you get sick or something?]

Juleka: [All of the teachers say you've been absent. I'm starting to get really worried, Nath. Please call us when you can.]

Rose: [Nathan, please don't do this to us! No one's seen you, I'm scared for you, Nath! You haven't even posted on your art blog! Please call us or something, I'm freaking out.]

Juleka: [I have his sketchbook and backpack, Rose. There's no way he could have posted on the blog.]

Rose: [Oh, right.]

Juleka: [Nevertheless, we're worried out of our minds. Call us!]

He took a look at the time. It was 10:48. Would any of them be awake? He figured he might as well try a skype call. He sat at his desk chair and slid over to his computer, waking it out of sleep mode and starting a call.

The two girls answered almost immediately. Rose had tears in her eyes, and was holding a tissue, more tissues littered around her desk. Juleka looked worried as well.

"Nathanael!" they both exclaimed, causing him to jump slightly.

"Where have you been?!" Rose wailed. "It's like you vanished off the face of the Earth or something!" Nathanael winced a bit. Rose's voice, although kind and concerned as usual, was sending lightning bolts of pain through his head. His headache seemed to be getting worse just from answering the call. He considered hanging up, but that would be rude.

"Why didn't you read any of our text messages?" Juleka asked, eyebrows knit together with worry. Nathanael sighed. "You look horrible. What happened? If you're comfortable telling."

"I was akumatized while walking to the principal's office. I… don't remember all of the details, but… I didn't have my phone, and I don't know where any of my stuff is either. I mean, I have the phone, and a few pencils, but my bag and sketchbook are missing."

"Oh, we found them in the hall, I have them here at my place. Maybe you can swing by in the morning, before we head to school?"

"Sure, sounds perfect."

"Alright, see you then."

"Is no one going to mention the fact that he was akumatized?! What happened?!" Rose exclaimed.

"W-Well… I remember chasing Chloe around with a giant hairdryer in the library… Then I…" a blush crept over his face. "I broke into Marinette's house and asked her on a date… She said yes, but only if I didn't hurt anyone, and… then I was in Chloe's room? The rest is still kind of fuzzy…"

"Don't stress it. Did you get to meet Ladybug?!"

"O-Oh yeah! She's amazing, a-and she actually gave me her phone number! I think she sent me a text a few minutes ago…"

"Well, what are you waiting for?! Read it!" Rose hopped a bit in her seat, now excited.

"I-I...okay, I'll read it aloud." Nathanael went to read the message from the new number, briefly seeing a message from Nino inviting him to go to the arcade after school. He'd have to explain his absence later, maybe at school tomorrow? There were more pressing and anxiety-inducing things on his mind right now. When he selected the chat, his eyes widened slightly and his breath wavered.

Unknown Number: [Hey, this is Ladybug. Did you get home alright? Sorry I had to leave so suddenly. Don't forget, you can text me anytime.]

"Ooh, maybe she likes you!" Rose squealed in excitement. "Just imagine Nath dating a superhero!"

"I bet she's going to start

"Her? Like me? I doubt it! She has Chat Noir, and she probably gives her number to all akuma victims! I'm nothing special…"

"I totally ship it." Juleka said decidedly. Nathanael's face turned as red as his hair.

"Juleka!"

"I bet she's going to start appearing in the Super Nath comics," Juleka let loose a mischievous smirk.

"I'm telling Alya!" Rose whipped out her phone to text the Ladyblogger herself.

"Rose!"

"Too late, already sent it!"

Nathanael sighed as Rose and Juleka talked about how cute he would be with Ladybug. Seemed this was their new ship of the century. A yawn escaped him, unintentionally drawing the attention of his two friends back to him.

"Nath, you look exhausted. You should get some sleep. We can work on the project tomorrow." Juleka said. Nathan nodded and mumbled a goodnight before ending his part of the call and going to bed.

He dreamed of Ladybug.

* * *

Nothing particularly special happened the first moment Nathan, Rose, and Juleka walked into school together. Nathan had his stuff back, thanks to his friends, and was mentally prepared for any teasing anyone threw his way. He wasn't to blame for being akumatized, of course.

But no one really teased him at all. In fact, it seemed as if not too many people were aware of what had happened yesterday. And the people who did approach him were nothing but kind.

Nino came over to his desk before class started, offering a friendly smile. "Hey, Nathan. We missed you at the arcade yesterday. Everything alright?"

"Wait. Alya didn't tell you about what happened yesterday?" Nathanael asked.

"She just told me that Chloe was attacked by an akuma, and she went to go interview her about-wait. Was that you?" Nathanael nodded with a sigh.

"Yeah… I got akumatized on my way to the principal's office yesterday. So… that's why I didn't go."

"You okay, man?"

"I mean… Yeah. I feel kind of bad for what I did, what with attacking Ladybug and all?"

"Not for destroying Chloe's closet?" Nathanael hesitated before a mischievous smile crossed his face.

"Not really, no. It all came back, anyways." he shrugged. Nino laughed a little.

"Honestly, she needs to be brought down a few pegs. I almost wish the clothes didn't come back. What a shame."

"Well, you know her dad would just buy her an entirely new closet within the hour."

"True, true… Well, we were thinking about going to the arcade again next Friday, if you wanna come?"

"I'd love to! Th-Thanks for inviting me," Nathanael, honestly, wasn't all that big a fan of video games. But it was nice to have a chance to make new friends!

"Oh, and, um. Happy belated birthday, dude."

"Oh! Thank you!" Nino offered a two-fingered salute and a grin before heading back to his seat. Almost immediately, Ivan turned around.

"You got akumatized?" he asked. Nathanael paled slightly, but nodded. Ivan was huge, and kind of terrifying, honestly. "Oh. I know the feeling. Sorry it happened on your birthday, though. That must've been terrible. Was it because of what Chloe did?"

"Yeah. I think it was that, and Madam Bustier calling me out in the first place."

"Well… If you ever want to talk to someone about it, I'm open."

"Wow, really? Thanks!"

"Not a problem at all. I know how it feels. A lot of people are probably going to judge you for it, but I'm here. Looks like Nino is too."

"You guys are being so nice to me, I… thanks…"

"No problem, man." at that, Ivan turned around. Nathan pulled out his sketchbook and looked through the many pages of comics and reference art for the characters in them, some of them made up and some of them real classmates. Just looking at Super Nathanael sent shivers down his spine. He couldn't bear to look at it anymore. With a pen, he furiously crossed out every page of the comic, before settling on the empty page before him. What would he draw?

A memory of Ladybug's kind eyes gave him a good idea. He could make a new comic. To thank Ladybug for everything she did for him.

"Nathanael!"

"Aah!" Nathanael was snapped out of his thoughts by the voice next to him, his hands slamming on the desk in surprise as he jumped to his feet. Marinette jumped back, almost falling backwards until she managed to catch her balance. "Sorry, you just surprised me!"

"N-No problem! I guess we're even now!" it slowly began to dawn on him that his crush was standing right in front of him. "So… are you alright?"

"Holy crud, I-I-I almost drowned you yesterday, didn't I?! I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay, it's okay, it's all forgiven! You weren't… yourself. But I'm flattered that you wanted to take me on a date! And, um… it was your birthday, so… I got you this!" the bluebell-eyed girl offered him a large box. Nathanael's eyes widened as he took the box.

"Wow, I… thanks, Marinette…"

"No problem!" at that, the bell rang to announce that class was about to start, and all of the students hurried to their seats before the teacher could arrive and mark points off for not being seated. Seated behind Ivan, all Nathanael had to do was listen out for his name on roll call, and no one would catch him drawing the cover to a new comic.

* * *

"I wanna see the present Marinette got you!" Rose exclaimed as she ran over to Nathanael's desk after class, Juleka not too far behind.

"Come on, guys, really. She's barely taken two steps out of the room." he sighed, but really he was just as excited to open the box as she was.

"We can just eat lunch here. Lets see!" Juleka smiled. Nathan decided to take the box out from under his seat and place it on his desk, taking off the ribbon and sticking it in Rose's hair. When he opened the box, their eyes all widened in surprise.

A box of carrot cake squares and chocolate chip cookies from the Dupain-Cheng bakery greeted them first. Next to the box was a new sketchbook, a set of colored pencils, a palette, paintbrushes, and paints.

"Ooh! Are you going to share those?"

"No way! This is mine." Nathanael laughed. Honestly, he didn't mind if they had any; there were plenty of cookies to go around, and neither of the two girls had much of a taste for carrot cake anyways.

As he took out the smaller box, he found a stack of papers underneath the items. He quickly pulled everything out and leafed through the pages. Some of them were coupons to the Dupain-Cheng bakery, including 'bear hug from Tom' and 'lifetime order of marcons sent to your house every Friday'. A few were drawings made by Marinette, a few were clothes with questions such as 'if you want me to make this for you, text me' followed by a phone number. The last one was a portrait of him, with 'Happy Birthday' written on it, followed by Marinette's signature.

Nathanael could have swooned right then and there.

Rose giggled and Juleka draped an arm around his shoulders. "Calm down, Tomato boy. You've still got another three hours of school left."

"Maybe this is a sign that she likes you!" Rose grinned.

"You r-really think so?" Nathanael felt hope flutter in his chest as Rose and Juleka both nodded.

"Now, then, how about we eat some lunch?" Juleka nudged him before putting her lunchbox on the desk. They all ate and laughed together, but Nathanael couldn't keep his eyes off of the gifts scattered around the table.

"Hey! Have you drawn anything new in your sketchbook? Anymore Super Nathanael?" Rose asked.

Nathanael felt a shudder run down his spine, and the cookie he had been eating began to feel like cotton in his throat. He knew he'd have to tell them sooner or later, but… He was not prepared for 'sooner.' "Well, actually… no. Super Nathanael is retiring from the hero business."

"What?" Rose sounded so disappointed. Nathanael wanted to just curl up and be swallowed up by the Earth.

"Why, though?" Juleka asked.

"...When I was the Evilllustrator-my akuma-I… I looked like Super Nathanael…" his voice cracked as he tried to calm his breathing. Thinking about Evillustrator sent him into a wild panic. He'd really screwed up. Everyone acted like everything was okay but it really wasn't, what if it happened again, who would help him, who would-

He reached out and grabbed his sketchbook from his bookbag. "B-B-But, I'm starting a new comic! See?!" He opened the book to where the front cover of the Ladybug comic was. His breathing immediately began to calm. Paris had a hero who would help him. And her name was Ladybug. His muse.

"Ooh! A comic tribute to Ladybug! Sounds amazing!" Rose gasped, hands flying to her cheeks.

"You could make it a whole series, even! I think it's a good idea! And if drawing that old character-" Juleka had hesitated before saying 'that old character', as if not trying to say the words Super Nathan. "-makes you uncomfortable, then don't draw him. Your art is your art, your art is the embodiment and expression of your feelings, your view. Don't feel forced to do something you don't want to."

Nathanael nodded, wiping away tears he hadn't realized he was crying until just then. "Thanks, Juleka."

"Of course." they quickly switched the conversation away from drawing to something more neutral, and Nathan soon found himself able to laugh and smile again. Even as school started again and he found himself in Ms. Mendeleiev's class once more, a warm determination spread through his chest.

Hawkmoth wasn't in control. He was. He could be his own defender, his own hero. And if his defenses began to crumble, he had an 'unknown number' in his pocket he could rely on.

Today was a good day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the end! I hope you all enjoyed this story! Now, here's a bit of info for the next one, so you can see if you're interested.
> 
> I'm not sure if this idea has been done before (honestly at this point it probably has) but I was thinking about writing a fanfiction where Alya runs a club in alliance with the school guidance counselor (who would be an OC) where they run a support group for people who have been akumatized-though a few certain unakumatized people attend as well. I'm starting the first chapter right now.
> 
> The other idea I had would definitely involve an OC becoming an akuma. Not sure on many other details.
> 
> But Nathanael's my favorite character, so I'm scouring my mind for fanfics centering around him as well that aren't too overdone. I'm currently working on one that focuses on Nathanael making friends in 7th grade, first chapter may be out soon.
> 
> I also may add an extra chapter for Puppeteer. Still trying to decide. The English translation for Puppeteer hasn't come out yet, I'll probably write it when it does. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading this fanfiction! Feel free to favorite and review (there's not much point in following anymore), and as always, I hope you have a wonderful day!
> 
> ~anipwrites


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathanael always seems to get caught up in akuma attacks. But one akuma in particular abruptly transforms him into the Evillustrator once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry for the long wait, but I finally finished the Puppeteer chapter of the Evillustrator's escapades! Thanks for waiting so patiently, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Nathanael really shouldn’t have been surprised.

Well, he did have a reason to be surprised, given that it happened to him. But he honestly always had bad luck when it came to akumas. He had been kidnapped by the Horrifficator and sealed into a pod after being whipped around while the monster--later discovered to be Mylene--fought off Ladybug and Chat Noir. Or, when Dark Blade nearly took over all of Paris, turning his class--and the rest of Paris--into his knights. Juleka--well, no, Reflekta--turned him, half the school, and half an arrondissement of Paris into copies of her; including the Mayor. 

Not to mention being forced to party before being trapped in a bubble and sent thousands of stories up in the air, being chased around by a lunatic on roller skates, being hit by a guitar that left him unable to stop dancing for hours, being chased by a bear down the street, and being--could it be considered killed?--by a giant floating triangle. Oh, right, and there was the whole akumatization thing. What akuma  _ hadn’t  _ done something to him at that point?

He was working on an art project. He hated being restricted to assigned prompts, really, or being graded on his works. But it was the only class he didn’t get in trouble for drawing in, he may as well draw the right thing. The prompt he had been assigned was ‘Justice,’ which all but point-blank instructed him to draw Ladybug and Chat Noir. He had to pick two to four pieces to draw inspiration from and explain how and why he had chosen that piece, which was the part that sucked. He’d been at the museum looking for inspiration since that afternoon, when finally ‘Liberty Leading the People’ caught his eye. Finally, he was almost done!

That was around when he felt a strange sensation creeping up his body. It started at the tips of his toes, so it was ignorable, but as it began to expand and reach waist height it was irritating. He looked down to ensure himself that  _ no,  _ there  _ wasn’t  _ an army of ants crawling up him only to find he was wearing dark purple and red pants, a sight that shocked him so much he dropped everything. 

He was turning back into the  _ Evillustrator?!  _ How?! Why was this happening, was there anything he could do to stop it?!

There was no time to find out. As the ring of magic reached his chest, he felt almost as if he was being pushed out of his own body, a numbness taking its place. There was nothing he could do, no way to stop the darkness that was taking over him. 

He last thought of how he had promised himself to never let such darkness take over him again, how he would never hurt anyone. Less than two months and he had already failed. 

_ ‘I’m sorry,’ _

* * *

_ Finally!  _ After lying dormant for  _ so long,  _ the Evillustrator was back in business!

Kind of.

This time, he wasn’t taking orders from the dark voice he had been before, but instead a… Six year old?! What business did some six year old have being the boss of  _ him?! _ Whatever. He’d deal with it. He was back, that’s all that mattered for now. 

His hands clenched into fists as he received the first set of orders for his new awakening.  _ ‘Get the Ladybug doll,’  _ the voice ordered.  _ ‘Meet me at the Kids+ Building.’ _

He nodded, even though the girl presumably couldn’t see him, and made his way to the exit. The patrons of the museum he had found himself in--the Louvre, some part of him recalled--seemed appalled by his appearance. Some raised their phones to snap photos. Perfect. Let the world know the Evillustrator was back. He could take down Ladybug and Chat Noir anyday. Let them come. He snarled for the cameras before he got outside. 

With a flick of his wrist, he drew out a hoverboard for him to use before jumping on and zooming off to his destination. It was perfectly adjusted in regards to his weight, and an ease to control. The feeling of existing once more felt just as good as flying through the streets on his hoverboard. He didn’t care if people turned and stared. 

Rogercop ran up alongside him, rivaling the speed of his hoverboard and not breaking a sweat. The robotic enhancements probably helped in that department--that same tiny part of him recalled seeing the man, in his unakumatized form, attempting to chase after a purse-snatcher and huffing and puffing and falling quickly behind. He nodded at him, and the Evillustrator understood that they were on the same team.

This was going to be interesting; at least three against two for those dumb heroes. They wouldn’t stand a chance.

And by the time they made it to where they had been called to, the odds were even better. Five against one?! This was child’s play, especially with Chat Noir on their side!

“One against five?! That’s not very fair and square!” Ladybug complained.

“The Ladybug doll, get it!” the Puppeteer commanded, pointing her wand forward as if a commander shouting a call to arms. This was going to be a piece of cake!

* * *

 

...Turns out it was not a piece of cake. He’d nearly forgotten just how cunning the spotted heroine of Paris was. And being controlled by a five year old was no way to effectively win a battle. Which is how he’d ended up frozen in mid-air by one of Lady Wi-fi’s runes, in a tangled mess with Rogercop on top of him, and Chat Noir and Lady Wi-fi incapacitated and unable to help the instant one of the wayward pause runes hit the leader of their motley crew. They all could only watch as Ladybug casually walked up, whistling a smug little tune, and broke the Puppeteer’s wand. How had they been defeated by a yo-yo, some tape, and an extension cord? Ladybug had found a way to make it work to her favor sometimes.

As she cast her lucky charm, Evillustrator felt himself fading away again. It wasn’t exactly a feeling one could get used to, or just accept. Would he ever come back? He’d find a way to, even if he had to tear apart Nathanael’s very soul, his very being, he would do it.

He just needed some time. And he’d have plenty soon enough.

* * *

 

Nathanael finished jotting down the last few notes for his painting, noticing the setting sun peeking over the top of his notebook. Why did the Louvre have so many windows, it surely wasn’t good for the paintings...which was exactly why the Louvre  _ didn’t have windows.  _

So where  _ was  _ he? He looked around and didn’t recognize any of the furniture or the layout of the room or anything. He didn’t really recognize the street outside the window either. Good luck getting home.

What he did recognize--or moreso who--was Alya, Officer Roger, and Chat Noir and Ladybug standing in the room. Some little girl was there too, for whatever reason--probably related to why he was in the same room as Ladybug and Chat Noir with no recollection of what had happened for the past who knows how long. In fact, everyone except Ladybug looked about as confused as he was. Ladybug said something about puppets, but he tuned it out. What better time to grab some quick sketches of the subjects of his next painting. He’d never be able to get the color of Chat’s eyes just right, the school’s art supply was only so limited, but if he could just get the shape right it’d help with the project  _ and  _ some comics he’d had planned. 

Alya came over and peered at his notebook. “Do you have any idea why we’re here?”

“None whatsoever, I was hoping you did.” he replied, not even looking away from the two heroes as he tried to get as many life-sketches as he could. 

“What’s that for?”

“Art project; I got assigned the prompt ‘Justice,’ but the guidelines basically said ‘draw Ladybug and Chat Noir’ so that’s what I’m doing.”

“Oh, hey, you’re good at art, right?”

“I became an evil artist for a reason. I’m honestly surprised you know who I am, I don’t talk much in class.”

“Why is that? You seem… decent.”

“What could  _ I _ possibly have to say?”

“Huh.” Alya seemed to be one of those people who didn’t understand the concept of ‘I don’t think I have anything to add to any conversation, and I’m also cripplingly shy, so I don’t talk’. Which he wasn’t surprised by. She could carry a conversation with half the student body, and always seemed to be talking to  _ someone.  _ Honestly, Nathanael almost envied it. “Well… you wanna do some art for the Ladyblog sometime? I’ll give you credit for sure, but it could really use a new look.”

“I mean, I think it looks fine the way it is, but sure. Just let me know what you want sometime.”

“You kids alright?” Officer Roger asked, walking up to them. When they both nodded, he added. “You go to Sabrina’s school right?”

“We do. We saw you at Parent’s Day.” Alya stated.

“Huh. You need a ride home? I can walk you guys to my car and escort you home.”

“Well… sure, much better than walking the whole way.” the two turned to Nathanael expectantly. He shrugged noncommittally, which they took as a yes. They all went down stairs (turns out they were at the TV studio) and found Roger’s car.

By the time he got back home, he was drained. And there was a new post on the Ladyblog about what had happened--at least, as far as Alya remembered and what she was able to scrounge up from Ladybug before they left. He was sure by this time tomorrow, she’d have gotten her hands on security footage from any camera that had caught so much as a glimpse of what had happened. Even though she was a teenager, she was the best source for information on akuma attacks and Ladybug in the city, rivaling even the news station at points. They surely wouldn’t bat an eye at contributing akuma footage.

He laid back in bed and cranked up some music, plugging in his headphones. He didn’t have the energy to continue any research for his art project, or any other homework for that matter. He’d been hoping to get back from the Louvre in time to work on the Physics and Language Arts assignments before he got tired, but extenuating circumstances gave him an excuse for some late work.

He was sure Ms. Mendeleev was going to point out that Max had finished all of  _ his  _ homework after he’d been akumatized. But he’d worry about that tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit shorter than the others, mainly because there weren't very many timeskips in the Puppeteer episode, and I didn't want to just re-write the entire fight scene over again. I hope you don't mind!  
> This is the last chapter of Casual Villainy for now, primarily because the season is over. If we see the Evillustrator again in upcoming seasons or anything, this story will get updated, though probably not immediately. I'm really excited for the webisodes, I hope we get to see some Nathanael in it. Hopefully, we might even get some canon clarification on what went down after Evillustrator, though I somewhat doubt it.  
> If you're craving more Nathanael or Evillustrator in your life, feel free to check out my profile! Basically everything I've been writing recently centers around Nathanael, so I hope you find something that suits your tastes.  
> Otherwise, thanks so much for reading my story! Have a wonderful day!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading my story! I really appreciate you taking your time to read this far!  
> Feel free to check out my blog for other Nathanael-centric fanfiction!


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